The present invention relates to corner connectors for panel door, having stiles and rails seating a frame and, more particularly, to such connectors including a bracket to couple the door frame members and a mounting member for mounting the door in the door opening.
Corner connectors for sliding doors which include bottom rollers or other track guiding devices which permit the door to slide along a track disposed on the floor are known. Exemplary of such connectors is that described and illustrated in U. S. Pat. No. 4,391,019 issued to Downes on Jul. 5, 1983. This connector employs a vertically disposed arm which is slidably connected to a bracket by a longitudinal slot which seats a T-shaped projection on the connector bracket. The slot in the arm includes a portion of increased width to permit the head of the T-shaped projection to be inserted into the slot and thereafter be captured by the narrower portion of the remainder of the slot. In this way, the stem of the T-shaped projection moves within the slot. One problem with this arrangement is that the stem of the T-shaped projection offers a limited surface against which the arm bears during relative movement. Since the arm also carries the track guide member, e.g., a roller or the like, it is subject to loads which act on the door, particularly when the arm carries a roller which supports the bottom of the door. Hence, the bracket to arm connection experiences loads in different directions which are not readily transferred to contiguous bearing surfaces. The arm is substantially unsupported along its sides and along the interconnecting surfaces which cause the forces to be distributed unevenly and become concentrated. Such force concentration can lead to material wear and fatigue, particularly in the T-shaped arm and slot connection disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,019.
The sliding door bracket also provides the support for the door in the track system in which it moves so that it slides freely without excessive play. Thus, it is important that the connector be rigid and securely connect the components of the sliding door to one another. Other connectors may use guides or slides slidable in the channel of a track, alone and in combination with rollers, and still others may use pivot members.
The connection between the stile and the bottom rail is at a right angle and the door panel is to be held tightly therebetween. In the past, one way to assure such a rigid connection was to rivet the connector to the framing members. However, it has now been found that it is more desirable and cost effective to permit the consumer to assemble the door on site. Thus, any such connector must be easily assembled with the component parts.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel connector for panel doors which includes a bracket which may be fabricated relatively inexpensively and which is readily connectable to the panel door frame components by a consumer without complex tools and/or a high degree of skill and a support member which is insertable into the bracket after assembly with the frame components.
It is also an object to provide such a connector which is relatively long-lived and in which different mounting members may be employed.
Another object is to provide such a connector in which the length of the projecting portion of the mounting member may be adjusted.